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Alpine, Nordic skiing kicks off state tournament action

The Alpine and Nordic ski racing state meets will take place Wednesday and Thursday at Giants Ridge Ski Area in Biwabik.

Orono's Bradford Morrison

From a high school perspective, there wouldn’t be a March Madness without February Frenzy.

We’re in the midst of the postseason prelude, as regular seasons wind down and section tournaments get underway, all with the goal of determining state champions at season’s end.

Already there are two state tournament set to take place this week: The Alpine and Nordic ski racing state meets will take place Wednesday and Thursday at Giants Ridge Ski Area in Biwabik.

Fortunately for all involved, the preliminary weather reports indicate that, while still cold, it won’t be the type of frigidity that shears skin from bone.

Alpine racing

Alpine skiing kicks things off Wednesday. A couple of duos to keep an eye on: Orono senior Bradford Morrison, who has yet to lose a high school meet this season, and teammate Rosie Hust, a freshman who finished third last year; and Eagan’s brother and sister pairing of Sally and Tommy Anderson, both top-10 finishers in 2013.

Nordic racing

The girls take center stage Thursday in Nordic racing. One of the most accomplished groups ever to compete in the meet will vie for the title. The foursome of Burnsville’s Vivian Hett, Wayzata’s Alayna Sonnesyn, Irondale’s Mattie Watts and Forest Lake’s Rocci Wohlk are not just ranked as the top four skiers in the state but are among the best in their age group in the nation.

Some of the best of the rest:

Boys’ hockey

Saturday: Edina at Eden Prairie, 3 p.m.

Girls’ hockey

All 16 state tournament berths will be decided by Friday evening, yet the most compelling section is Section 6, 2A.

All four teams left — No. 1-seeded Hopkins, No. 2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, No. 3 Minnetonka, the three-time defending state champs, and No. 4 Wayzata — have legitimate state championship hopes. Problem is, only one will even get the chance to realize that dream.

The semifinals are Wednesday at Parade Ice Gardens (Hopkins vs. Wayzata at 5:30 p.m., Benilde vs. Minnetonka at 7:30 p.m.) with the championship at Ridder Arena at 6 p.m. Friday.

A potential Edina/Eden Prairie matchup looms in the Section 2, 2A final, which will also be held Friday at Ridder Arena, immediately following the Section 6 championship.